James July-August 2024 web - Flipbook - Page 10
CA P RI CO R N STUDIO S
OC M ULGEE MOUNDS
the same goals and celebrating each
other’s successes.”
Nearly everyone involved in the
redevelopment of Macon mentions
Capricorn, and Rogers is no exception.
The studios are a great stand-in for
today’s Macon. They had some great
success 50 years ago, but hit some
hard times in the 1980s and ‘90s. Now,
thanks to the dedication of committed
community members, they’re restored
and finding new fans.
“Restoration of Capricorn Studios
is my favorite project. The building
was falling down (part of the second
floor was sitting in the basement),”
said Rogers. “With Mercer University
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in the lead, the whole community
banded together to not only save the
building but turn it into the best thing
it could possibly be. Not only does it
celebrate our musical heritage, but it is
enabling our music future by providing
low-cost rehearsal space to up-andcoming rock stars in one of America’s
most fabled studios.”
Tourism on the Upswing
With NewTown focusing on housing, Visit Macon focuses on marketing Macon-Bibb as a visitor/meeting
destination— and people are coming.
In 2022, the last full year of data
available, the community received
more than $6 million in hotel-motel tax
revenue, with total visitor spending
reaching nearly $450 million. Between
Atlanta and Savannah, Macon has
historically not been a big tourist destination in Georgia. Now, the draw is
impossible to ignore and travel writers
are certainly taking notice.
“Tourism in Macon-Bibb County
had seen measurable growth over the
past seven years despite the obvious
blow to travel during the pandemic,”
said Gary Wheat, president and CEO
of Visit Macon. “In addition to record
hotel/motel tax growth in four of
the past five years, Macon has been
featured in numerous national and in-
